Qin Yu leaned back slightly, his gaze sweeping across the arena as another bout between two disciples began. The excitement of the crowd rose as a disciple from the Thunderstrike Sect faced off against one from the Waterflow Sect. Qi surged around them as they clashed, but to Qin Yu, it all felt distant. His mind was occupied with a far more significant matter—the elder from the Divine Mountain Sect.
A cultivator whose realm could not be detected by his assassins was not a trivial matter. Even though he had recently stepped into the Nascent Soul Realm, Qin Yu was aware that his power, while formidable for his age, was insignificant compared to someone from the greater sects.
"The Divine Mountain Sect," Qin Yu muttered under his breath, his thoughts spinning. "What could their interest be in a tournament like this?"
The Phantom Assassin closest to him, his most trusted, leaned in slightly. "Do you wish for me to investigate further, young master? We can gather information on his purpose."
Qin Yu shook his head. "No need. Not yet. Let's watch and wait. There's no sense in drawing attention to ourselves unnecessarily."
As he said that, his eyes moved back to the competition. The Thunderstrike Sect disciple unleashed a powerful surge of lightning qi, forcing his opponent back. It was impressive, but Qin Yu could see the flaws in the technique. His mind, honed by months of intense cultivation and sparring with his assassins, immediately began analyzing the moves of each participant.
He couldn't help but feel a sense of distance from these battles. They were all at least a few realms below him, and while they were talented, none of them had faced the same trials or possessed the same resources he had.
"None of these people are my match," Qin Yu thought. A part of him felt a flicker of arrogance, but he quickly tempered it. The real challenge lay ahead—not in this preliminary display, but in the eyes of the true powers watching.
As the match ended with the Thunderstrike disciple's victory, a murmur went through the crowd. The elder from the Celestial Lotus Sect stood and raised his hand, silencing the arena.
"The next match," he announced, his voice clear and commanding, "will feature one of the most promising young disciples of this tournament, from the prestigious Crimson Blade Sect."
A young man stepped forward, his expression calm but his eyes burning with fierce determination. He was tall, his red robes bearing the emblem of a sword cleaving through a mountain—a symbol of the Crimson Blade Sect, another one of the ten great sects. His cultivation was at the peak of the Core Formation Realm, and his aura radiated a sharpness that could only come from intense training in sword techniques.
"He seems strong," Qin Yu noted quietly. "But..."
"But not strong enough," the Phantom Assassin finished for him. "He's still far below your level, young master."
The disciple's opponent was a young woman from a wealthy family, her attire a blend of elegance and practical martial gear. The match began with a flash of movement, the clash of their swords echoing through the arena. Sparks flew, and the intensity of the fight was clear—both were giving their all, their qi clashing in vibrant waves.
Qin Yu's gaze, however, was not fully on them anymore. He glanced back up at the elder from the Divine Mountain Sect, noticing that the man had yet to react to any of the battles. He seemed almost bored, his focus elsewhere. Was this tournament truly beneath him? Or was he waiting for something—or someone—specific?
Just as the thought crossed Qin Yu's mind, the elder's eyes briefly flickered in his direction. Qin Yu's body tensed ever so slightly, but he maintained his calm expression.
"He's looking at me," Qin Yu thought, his instincts sharpened by the numerous dangerous encounters he'd faced during his cultivation. "Could it be... he knows something?"
The elder's gaze lingered for only a moment before shifting back to the arena, but the message was clear: Qin Yu had been noticed.
As the tournament continued, Qin Yu's name was inevitably called. There was a ripple through the crowd when the announcement was made, whispers and murmurs spreading rapidly.
"This is the one the Celestial Lotus Sect elder invited."
"He's so young, how could he possibly—"
"Do you really believe he's as strong as they say?"
Qin Yu ignored the gossip as he stepped forward, his demeanor composed. The air around him seemed to still as he moved, and even without displaying his cultivation, there was an undeniable presence about him.
His opponent was a disciple from the Emerald Moon Sect, a sect renowned for its mastery of qi-based formations. The disciple, a young man, was clearly older than Qin Yu by several years, but there was a nervousness in his stance that betrayed his uncertainty.
"Begin!" the elder's voice rang out.
The Emerald Moon disciple wasted no time, forming a series of complex hand seals that summoned a shimmering array of defensive barriers. He was cautious, clearly aware of Qin Yu's reputation.
But to Qin Yu, these barriers were nothing more than an illusion of safety.
He moved, faster than the crowd could perceive, his figure blurring as he closed the distance in an instant. The disciple barely had time to react before Qin Yu's hand was raised, releasing a condensed burst of qi that shattered the barriers effortlessly.
Before the disciple could even raise his arms in defense, Qin Yu had already stopped, his hand hovering just an inch away from the man's chest. A single push, and it would be over.
The crowd went silent.
Qin Yu smiled faintly, withdrawing his hand. "You're not my enemy," he said simply, before turning and walking off the stage.
The disciple, pale-faced and shaken, could only nod in stunned silence as the elder announced Qin Yu's victory.
As Qin Yu returned to his seat, his mind was still racing. The fight had been too easy, just as he expected. But that wasn't the real battle he was preparing for. His attention once again returned to the elder from the Divine Mountain Sect.
"Do you think he was watching?" Qin Yu asked the assassin beside him.
"He was," the assassin replied without hesitation. "He hasn't stopped watching you since the tournament began."
Qin Yu smirked. "Good."
But before he could ponder further, the elder from the Celestial Lotus Sect rose once more, this time drawing the crowd's full attention.
"Disciples," he began, his voice booming, "we are honored to announce a distinguished guest today, whose presence is a rare privilege. Elder Long Wu from the Divine Mountain Sect has graced us with his presence for this year's tournament."
Gasps rippled through the crowd. Qin Yu's smirk deepened. It seemed things were about to get much more interesting.
As the elder from the Divine Mountain Sect stood and offered a respectful nod to the crowd, Qin Yu could feel the atmosphere shift. The tournament had just taken on a new level of importance. And whatever Elder Long Wu's reason for being here, it was now clear that Qin Yu was firmly within his sight.
The real question was: why?